College of Education Appeal/Exception Procedure
This document provides in-depth information to faculty who may become involved in the appeal
process. On occasion, students will appeal a grade or other professional decision of a faculty
member in the College of Education. In all instances throughout these procedures, both parties have
a responsibility for professionalism which includes that communications between the parties become
official when they are written.
No appeal will be upheld or exception granted without all required documentation. Until the appeal
or exception is approved through the Dean or Associate Dean, the student will not be granted
permission to engage in the requested professional education activity.
The process for settling a dispute through individual and/or committee responses has prescribed
timelines. The process must be completed in less than 120 days. The Dean's actions are exempted
from this time limitation (As noted below). If a student fails to submit a written request to initiate an
appeal to a grade or other professional decision within the first 60 days after the grade was posted or
of the professional decision, the student forfeits the rights of appeal in those matters. The student is
responsible for the burden of proof in all appeals that s/he initiates.
Copies of all documents generated in any part of this process will be kept on file in the Dean's office.
Procedures for settling a disputed grade or professional decision:
1. The student must first contact the instructor responsible for the class, in writing, within 60
days of the grade being posted or of the professional decision.
a. The student is responsible for presenting all relevant information pertaining to the
request for a change of grade or other remedies.
b. Once the written notification is given, the student and the instructor have up to 30
days to reach an agreement over the dispute.
c. If the dispute is resolved between the student and the instructor within those 30 days,
the matter may be dismissed.
d. If a grade change is agreed upon, the instructor must use the University "Change of
Record" form to authorize the change and must obtain the signature of the Dean or
Associate Dean. Change of Record forms are available from the Faculty Liaison and
Admissions and Records.
2. Should the student and the instructor not come to an agreement within the first 30 days of
being notified of the dispute, s/he may appeal to the Department Chair.
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College of Education • Office of the Dean
1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy • Colorado Springs, CO 80918 • t 719-255-4133 • f 719-255-4110
a. The request for an appeal or solution to the professional decision must be submitted
in writing and include all relevant details and the desired remedy.
b. The Department Chair has an additional 30 days (or 60 days from the first written
notification given to the instructor of the dispute) to request additional information
from the student, faculty member, instructor, or other appropriate persons and to
reach a decision.
3. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision of the Department Chair, s/he may submit a
written request to bring the grievance to the COE Grievance Committee. This must happen
within 60 days of when the instructor was first given written notification of the dispute.
a. The request for review by the COE Grievance Committee must contain the written
decision of the instructor and that of the Department Chair. The committee has 60
days to complete its work from the date the student requested review.
b. A meeting with the student should be scheduled by the Grievance Committee Chair,
who may ask for additional information from the student, faculty member, instructor,
or other appropriate persons.
c. Committee members will consider the available information and may give the student
and/or the instructor the opportunity to verbally explain the situation to the committee
members. After rendering a decision, the committee will make its recommendation
for action, if any, to the Dean of the College of Education.
d. The committee will be comprised of COE faculty members. Faculty members with
direct or prior involvement in an individual grievance should recuse him/herself from
an individual case. The Chair of the Grievance Committee may also request that an
individual member recuse him/herself from a particular case.
Normally, the Dean of the COE is the final authority in academic and professional matters regarding
the academic and professional conduct of students.
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College of Education • Office of the Dean
1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy • Colorado Springs, CO 80918 • t 719-255-4133 • f 719-255-4110